Extended family

So great news...the teacher I am subbing for had a baby boy! The girls were excited, the boys really didn't care all that much, which isn't surprising. Day two is just about as good as day one, if not better! The students are really great kids. We reviewed my rules from yesterday, I only have three. They can't say the words: stupid, retarded, or shut up. They ask terrific questions and for the most part, they're very polite to each other. We talked about the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 today. The boys just want to get to other war. I showed them pictures from my trip to Philly last summer and I brought in my Yukata from Japan and a paper doll to show them because they were amazed that I had been there. We read Time for Kids and talked about sweat shops in China and their exploitations of young females. In the other class we talked about the atomic bombs and the genocide in Africa. I think it's good to stir things up and get them thinking about other things besides themselves.

I ran to the nursing home yesterday afternoon to see my grandma, still unhealthy, but she's doing very well. That's somewhat promising. I finished my Vietnam final and I JUST finished the film review extra credit. I think I got all A's this semester, I'll be upset if that is not the case.

I went to temple with my parents and Nelly for Chinese dinner. (Little out of the ordinary for temple.) After dinner there were services and it was so nice. All the old people were back from their winter homes. Everyone looked from. Phil and Alice did not like Tuscan as much as Ft. Meyers, Jack and Elaine didn't stay in FL as long because Jack got sick, Harry told me his son went to Israel and never came home after he married a beautiful Israeli girl. Oh, great times, I miss them all so much, they're not big extended family. Nelly sat next to me in services and she read the prayers that were in English. Since she was in France during WWII, she still gets really emotional when she's around a lot of Jews because it reminds her of the Holocaust. She told me she had to prove she didn't have any Jewish blood when the Nazi's came into occupy her town. One of her friends did, and after three days of questioning, the girl was taken and she never saw her again.

I love being with my parents, but I'm ready to go away again. I can't stay here too long, it makes me feel confined. I don't know if confined is the best word, but it's the only one I can come up with right now. I'm going to spend most of the weekend in Chicago with my grandparents and aunts. It'll be really fun I hope.

And yes, that's me on a camel in the NEGEV! (Where I would be if I get to go to Israel!!!) hahaha.